Sitting at the window sill of the bar, looking out at the silent buildings and the tall plane trees in the distance, I fell into a kind of sadness of passing years. We have all loved and been loved, but the uncertainties of the world make it impossible for us to hold that person's hand. Once, we hated the injustice of fate, but when we think of that person on a rainy afternoon or a quiet night, our hearts will be filled with gratitude for the years that fate has given us. It's not necessarily the best way to get together. It's not necessarily bad not to get together.

After...